Everything we know about life comes from studying our own planet.

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BIO 101 MODULE 1 INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE

BIO 101 MODULE 1 DISCUSSION

Discussion: Life’s Extreme Environments

Discussion Topic

Everything we know about life comes from studying our own planet. Recent discoveries about life forms in extreme environments have renewed scientists’ interest in looking for life elsewhere.

Organisms that thrive in a wide variety of harsh conditions –called extremophiles—are broadening scientists’ understanding of the diverse environmental conditions life can withstand. Scientists have had to modify their theories and expand their view of what types of environments are habitable based on the new information presented by the existence of extremophiles.

Watch the following 1.5 minute NOVA video on extremophiles. Complete your initial post by answering the questions below:

Life’s Extreme Environments

https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/nvfl.sci.space.extremophiles/lifes-extreme-environments/#.WjLURN-nGM8

 

• What is an extremophile?
• What kinds of extreme environments can life thrive in?
• Explain why the study of extreme environments on Earth is important to the search for life on other planets. Do you think this could change the way scientists view our understanding of life? Why or why not?

 

BIO 101 MODULE 1 CASE

Your Assignment:

1. What is life? Research six specimens from the list below, describe them as living, nonliving, or dead and give support for why each belongs in their respective category.

Brown grass	Whale sperm	HIV virus
Fertilized chicken egg	Hair from human head	Prion
Egg from grocery store	Skin cell from back of hand	Amoeba
Blood cell	Mushroom	Coral reef

2. What traits did you list as characteristics of living things, but were not easily observable?
3. List several processes that occur while an organism is alive, but cease when it is dead.
4. Did any nonliving things possess some of the same characteristics as living things? Which ones?
5. How do plants differ from animals in their life activities?
6. Define the word dormant. What factors influence whether something is considered dormant?
7. Research one of the following controversial discoveries: nanobacteria (Young & Martel, 2009), the “fossilized Martian bacteria” observed on the meteorite ALH84001 (McKay et al., 1996), or Craig Venter’s 2010 announcement of the first creation of “synthetic life” (Gibson et al., 2010). Review the claims made by the researchers who announced the discovery. Do the organisms fit the definition of life? How so?

 

BIO 101 MODULE 1 SLP

Citizen science projects are research activities that allow non-scientists to participate in data collection and make contributions to many areas of science from ecology to astronomy. These projects are sponsored by individuals, organizations and universities. Activities vary widely from observing and counting birds to completing surveys on pet behavior.

You will be creating a presentation researching one citizen science project from the list below (or you may search the internet for a citizen science project of your choosing). You do not have to participate in the study to complete your assignment, but many of these projects are available for citizen participation all over the world.

1. Wildwatch Kenya
   Project goal is to count, identify and track the giraffes in conservation field sites through trail camera photos. https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/sandiegozooglobal/wildwatch-kenya
2. The Great Backyard Bird Count
   Citizens collect data on the highest number of birds of each species seen together at one time.
   http://gbbc.birdcount.org/

Topics you should include in your presentation:

Slide 1
Title Slide with Name, Course and Date

Slides 2-3: Introduction
Introduction and background on your chosen citizen science project, including what questions are being asked and who is asking them. Include a summary of why you chose this project:

• What is the problem(s) the researchers are trying to solve?
• Complete additional research to determine what is known about the problem(s).
• What questions would you like answered?
• Include supporting images

Slides 4-5
Describe any observations or experiments that have been conducted to answer the research question(s). How will this help answer the questions being asked? Include any supporting images.

Slides 6-7
Add additional interesting facts you gathered about the citizen project (this may require additional research). Include any relevant images.

Slides 8-9 – Conclusion
Summarize your project findings.

• Why do scientists need the help of citizens to accurately answer their questions?
• What are some of the pros and cons of using citizens to collect data?
• Why is this research important?
• What are the possible real world applications?

Slide 10—References
Please provide your sources in APA format including the link to your citizen project.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 2 THE WORKING CELL

BIO 101 MODULE 2 DISCUSSION

Discussion: Eukaryotic and Prokaryotic Cells

Discussion Topic

The cells in our body are complex cells called eukaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are very simple, like bacteria. Prokaryotic cells tend to be less organized and more primitive, whereas eukaryotic cells like our skin, liver, and brain cells benefit from the complexity of organization and compartmentalization. Although simple, prokaryotic cells like bacteria are not compartmentalized like human and animal cells, but they seem to function as they need to.

Bacteria have been around for millions of years and survive in the harshest of conditions. Is being complex always beneficial?

Use the search terms “eukaryotic” or “prokaryotic” at The Scientist site and find a recent discovery to share with your classmates. Summarize the article and compare/contrast the articles findings with those of your classmates.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 2 CASE

CASE ASSIGNMENT

There are many diseases that are caused by the malfunction of specific organelles. Three examples are listed below: Cystic Fibrosis, Pompe Disease and Leigh Syndrome. Select one of the disorders below and complete an essay of approximately 2-3 pages in length, addressing the questions below. A link is provided to introduce you to each disorder. You will need to conduct additional research to fully complete your essay. You should consult a minimum of three quality sources when researching parts I-IV below to complete your essay.

1. Cystic Fibrosis – One of the causes of the symptoms of cystic fibrosis is a defect in the calcium and chlorine ion channels in the cell membranes, thus producing abnormal amounts of fluid and salts in specific organs.Shannon, S. (2016). The Cellular Mechanism of CS: The Basics. Cystic Fibrosis News Today. Retrieved from https://cysticfibrosisnewstoday.com/2015/03/12/the-cellular-mechanism-of-cf-the-basics/
2. Pompe Disease – The inability of the lysosome to break down macromolecules like glycogen causes a build-up of those substances within the organelle. This leads to progressive muscle weakness due to the lack of monomers available to the mitochondria for cellular respiration.Pompe Disease.(n.d.) National Organization for Rare Disorders. Retrieved from
   https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/pompe-disease/
3. Leigh Syndrome – The inability to effectively produce ATP due to a defective mitochondrial gene for one of the ATPase enzymes. Symptoms start in the central nervous system and progressively worsen.Leigh Syndrome. (n.d.). US National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/leigh-syndrome (also a good source for genetic information on the conditions above)

I. Cellular cause of disease

Describe the type of cell(s) involved with the disease. What is the specific function of this type of cell? If an organelle or other cell structure is the problem in the disease, include information about it. Are there more of a specific type of organelle in this type of cell? Why is the cell not performing properly in this type of disorder? Does this disorder affect other parts of the body?

II. Disease- Basic Information

Describe what someone with the disease would notice, and what doctors find when doing an examination. How serious is the disease? What happens if it is not treated? What effect does it have on normal living? Is it inherited? If so, describe the inheritance pattern and the gene responsible. How does the malfunctioning cell cause the symptoms? Usually there is a protein or enzyme that isn’t produced properly. How is this related to the symptoms?

III. Disease Treatment and Research

How is the disease currently being treated? Is it curable, or is the treatment only for the symptoms? What research is currently being conducted to find a cure/treatment? Is there hope for a cure/treatment? Are stem cells or gene therapy used in research? Can these therapies lead to a cure? Why is continued research important?

IV. Summarize your findings.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 2 SLP 2 QUIZ

For your Module 2 SLP you will be completing a multiple-choice quiz based on the required readings from Modules 1 and 2.

Remember: Be sure to take notes as you read through the materials from each module, as your quiz is based on all the material from both Modules 1 and 2.

Your quiz consists of 15 randomly generated multiple-choice questions worth 2 points each, for a maximum of 30 points.

Time and planning:

You will have 45 minutes minutes to complete the quiz.

You will be able to retake the quiz to improve on your score to a maximum of 2 attempts. The highest attempt score will count toward your final grade.

You cannot exit the quiz once it has started. If you experience technical problems—a dropped Internet connection, a crashed computer, or the like—while taking a quiz, first try to reconnect and re-enter the quiz.

If the quiz is still available, and your time to take the quiz has not expired, you can pick up where you left off.

Note: If the quiz has expired and you cannot finish, the attempt is still counted. Therefore, it is important to answer the questions to the best of your ability on each quiz attempt.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 3 GENES AND INHERITANCE

BIO 101 MODULE 1 DISCUSSION

Discussion: Genetic Testing

Discussion Topic

Several years ago, a small number of companies in the United States began selling DNA testing kits directly to consumers (referred to as DTC) via the Internet. This market was made possible, in part, by the decreasing costs of genome analysis. DTC testing generally does not produce a full genome sequence, like the Human Genome Project; rather, companies often look at sites in the genome that commonly differ between individuals, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Companies offer a broad array of tests that report on a person’s ancestry and health, as well as a number of other traits. Whether people should be able to access their genetic information directly from a company is at the center of an on-going debate amongst doctors, patients, ethicists, politicians and regulatory bodies, such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

1. Would you want to know more about your own genetic make-up? Why or why not?
2. Should people be allowed to order a direct-to-consumer kit to learn about their genetic make-up on their own, or should people have to go through a doctor? Explain.
3. Should the government regulate the sale of direct-to-consumer genetic tests? Explain.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 3 CASE

Case Assignment

To complete your essay for this assignment, select one of the biotechnology/genetic engineering topics below and answer the following questions in essay format:

• Therapeutic Uses of Stem Cells
• Animal Cloning
• Designer Babies
• DNA and Criminal Forensics

1. Summarize the technology (How is it done? What is it used for?)
2. What people or companies are interested in doing research on this topic?
3. What are they trying to discover or do?
4. What have they already done with this technology?
5. Why are they trying to do it/or what is the ultimate goal in the future?

 

BIO 101 MODULE 3 SLP

You have already completed a basic study about genetics and mutations. For this assignment you will research a specific genetic disorder and create a PowerPoint to explain the disorder by addressing the information outlined below. Potential disorder topics are found in the table. You may also use the link provided below the table to begin your research.

List of possible Genetic Disorders to Research:

Achondroplasia (Dwarfism) Albinism Adrenal hyperplasia Autism/ Asperger syndrome Cystic Fibrosis Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy Familial Dysautonomia Gardner syndrome (intestinal polyposis) Gaucher’s Disease Hemophilia Huntington’s Disease Jacobsen Syndrome Klinefelters Syndrome

Klippel-Feil Syndrome Leukodystrophy Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) Marfan Syndrome Moebius Syndrome Polycystic Kidney Disease Progeria Proteus syndrome Retinoblastoma Rett’s Syndrome Sickle cell anemia Spinocerebellar Ataxia Tay-Sach’s Disease Tourette Syndrome Turner Syndrome

Your Guide to Understanding Genetic Conditions. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved March 16, 2018 from https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition

Topics you should include in your presentation:

Slide 1
Title Slide with Name, Course and Date

Slide 2- Introduction
Name and describe your chosen disorder. What happens to the body as a result of this disorder? What part or parts of the body does the disorder generally affect? How many people are generally affected in the US (or worldwide)?

Slides 3-4
Describe the symptoms of the disorder. What happens in the body to cause the disease? Is it a mutation? How is it inherited? Is it recessive or dominant or sex-linked? Is it triggered by other events? Find 1-2 images to illustrate the symptoms or cause of the disorder.

Slides 5-6
How is the disorder diagnosed? What tests are done? Is genetic counseling an option?

Slide 7
How is the disorder treated? Discuss medications, gene therapy, etc. Include an image to support your research.

Slide 8- Application of research
Summarize new findings about your chosen disorder by researching current articles. What new information did you learn about your chosen disorder? Include the resource(s).

Slide 9 – Conclusion
Summarize your project findings.

Slide 10—References
Please provide your sources in APA format.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 4 EVOLUTION AND BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

BIO 101 MODULE 1 DISCUSSION

Discussion: Evolution and Modern Day Life

Discussion Topic

One of the more important evolutionary concerns facing humans today is the impact on present day environments and populations. Consider how evolutionary processes may be impacting the fields of medicine, agriculture or the environment. Research topics such as antibiotic resistance, pesticide use (resistant insects/plants) or “recent” changes in human traits such as the theory of the “shrinking brain.”

Describe your chosen research topic on recent evolutionary processes. Explain how the evolution of rapidly changing populations or traits may be affecting humans in modern day society. Compare and contrast your research with that of your classmates.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 1 DISCUSSION

Module 4 Reflective Discussion

Discussion Topic

Prepare a Reflective Essay in which you address each of the following items:

• Which topics and concepts in this course have been most interesting to you and why?
• Which class activities or assignments helped you learn the most? The least?
• What would you like to learn more about (today, this week, this year, etc)?
• How might you use the scientific reasoning skills we’re practiced in these assignments to help you evaluate claims and information?

Please complete an anonymous Course Evaluation Survey. Instructors are not able to view course evaluation reports until after the grade submission period is over. Thank you for your feedback.

 

BIO 101 MODULE 1 CASE

Case Assignment

Answer the following questions in essay format. See the assignment expectations below for details on how to format your essay. You will be selecting one species from the video below to address questions 4 and 5 (video is approximately 12 minutes in length). You will need to conduct additional research to complete the essay in detail.

1.  
1. In your own words define natural selection and evolution.
2. What are four key components of natural selection?
3. What kinds of variable traits might natural selection act upon within a population?Choose one species from the video below (examples include the peacock or North American Elk) to complete the remaining two questions for your Case Assignment:Conboy, R. Evolution – Why Sex? Retrieved March 13, 2018 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AiHTcWejjQ
4. Sexual selection is a “special case” of natural selection. Define sexual selection (explain the concepts of male competition and female choice in your answer)
5. How do the unique traits of the animal you have chosen increase its fitness (in reproductive terms)?

 

BIO 101 MODULE 4 SLP

For your Module 4 SLP you will be completing a multiple-choice quiz based on the required readings from Modules 3 and 4.

Remember: Be sure to take notes as you read through the materials from each module, as your quiz is based on all the material from both Modules 3 and 4.

Your quiz consists of 15 randomly generated multiple-choice questions worth 2 points each, for a maximum of 30 points.

Time and planning:

You will have 45 minutes minutes to complete the quiz.

You will be able to retake the quiz to improve on your score to a maximum of 2 attempts. The highest attempt score will count toward your final grade.

You cannot exit the quiz once it has started. If you experience technical problems—a dropped Internet connection, a crashed computer, or the like—while taking a quiz, first try to reconnect and re-enter the quiz.

If the quiz is still available, and your time to take the quiz has not expired, you can pick up where you left off.

Note: If the quiz has expired and you cannot finish, the attempt is still counted. Therefore, it is important to answer the questions to the best of your ability on each quiz attempt.

 

 

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